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Act of Independence of Lithuania

1918 · 20th century · Also known as Act of 16 February

The Act of Independence of Lithuania was signed in Vilnius on 16 February 1918 by the twenty members of the Council of Lithuania, chaired by Antanas Smetona. It proclaimed an independent, democratic Lithuanian state with Vilnius as its capital, severing all earlier ties with other nations. Although German troops still occupied the country, the date is celebrated as Lithuania's State Restoration Day.

Act of Independence of Lithuania
Image: Council of Lithuania · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Act of Independence of Lithuania. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/act-of-independence-of-lithuania
MLA
“Act of Independence of Lithuania.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/act-of-independence-of-lithuania. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Act of Independence of Lithuania.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/act-of-independence-of-lithuania.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Act of Independence of Lithuania’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/act-of-independence-of-lithuania (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻